Nine Pearl Preserved Eggs

Nine Pearl Preserved Eggs

　　 It is said that the Songhua preserved egg originated in Tianjin. Folklore has it that about two hundred years ago, a wealthy family in a rural village of Tianjin had their son build a coffin for his mother, which was placed in an empty house for future use. As time passed and the mother remained alive, the family was instructed to sprinkle lime and plant ash into the coffin to prevent moisture, leaving a large gap in the coffin lid for ventilation. After doing so, they forgot all about it. The following year, when the mother passed away and the coffin was opened for burial, over a hundred eggs were found among the plant ash inside. The filial son, furious, took the eggs out and threw them to the ground, whereupon the shells broke and the insides had turned into dark brown transparent crystals, leaving everyone puzzled. Some curious individuals dared to taste them and found the flavor delicious. Onlookers, intrigued, also tried them and were equally amazed. Observing this, others began to imitate the process, placing fresh eggs in lime and plant ash, and achieved the same results. Neighbors followed suit, calling them “color-changing eggs.” Over time, this primitive technique spread to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, where it was refined and improved continuously. As a novel food item, the color-changing eggs were introduced to the market by the enterprising people of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Hence, today’s “Songhua preserved egg” is said to have originated in Tianjin and been perfected in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

　　 When and by whom was Jiangsu and Zhejiang’s “color-changing egg” brought to Mianyang and further refined into the world-renowned “Songhua preserved egg”? That person was none other than the “Liu Preserved Egg,” renowned throughout Wuhan.

　　 Around 1910, a young man from Hanyang named Liu Qifa, coming from a poor family and struggling to make a living, worked for the “Wantai Egg Factory” run by Zhejiang businessmen in Hankou, peddling the few substandard preserved eggs that were rejected just to get by. Young and eager to learn, Liu was shrewd and took advantage of his frequent access to the preserved egg workshop to steal their closely guarded production techniques. After several trials, he developed his own set of methods. Thus, for the first time, the preserved egg-making craft of Jiangsu and Zhejiang was mastered and further developed by someone from Hubei. Liu Qifa, with his exceptional and unique skills, was employed by wealthy merchants. When the Japanese invaded Wuhan, Liu lost his job. But the nickname “Liu Preserved Egg” became well known across the industry in Wuhan.

　　 In 1944, “Liu Preserved Egg,” having endured many hardships, arrived in Xiantao Town, Mianyang. With the help of friends, he set up his own preserved egg workshop, improved upon and phased out the backward southern egg production techniques of the area, laying the foundation for Mianyang’s Songhua preserved eggs. After Liu’s passing, his son, Liu Wenshan, carried on the family business, further refining the techniques and becoming the second-generation authority in Mianyang’s preserved egg craftsmanship. After the liberation, Liu Wenshan served as deputy factory director of the state-owned Mianyang Food Factory (the predecessor of Xiantao Egg Factory).

　　 After Mianyang’s Songhua preserved eggs were refined into “Nine Pearl Preserved Eggs,” their quality reached new heights. Once shelled, the preserved eggs feature a deep brown or grass-green egg white with transparent crystals and Songhua patterns, resembling exquisitely carved jade. The yolk, tightly packed, when cut open, resembles a blooming chrysanthemum or sugar-coated centers. The texture is rich and mellow, the flavor lingering and refreshing, suitable for all seasons. They were designated as an export-exempt inspection food, contributing to the nation’s Four Modernizations...